Rumblings xtra: Items that didn't make print edition

The parents of Michigan stars Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. have denied the
tweets from sports and entertainment attorney Darren Heitnet that both will declare early entry
into the NBA draft when the Final Four ends, Detroit Free Press reporters Mark Snyder wrote.

Heitner, whose Twitter feed lists him as a sports business writer for Forbes magazine, cited
anonymous sources his tweets:

Burke, the Northland High School who was named Associated Press player of the year Thursday,
considered leaving last year after his freshman season and went through the draft-evaluation
process. His mother, Ronda Burke, told yahoo.com that her son has not make a decision about this
year’s draft and also tweeted.

"SMH, Trey Burke is focused on the task at hand 'ATLANTA'. Let the season end & allow
him to actually make a decision & stop assuming!!"

Heitner later tweeted that Tim Hardaway Sr. said his son has yet to make a decision and denied
his intent to sign with Thomas.

Cincinnati Reds pitching prospect Amir Garrett is leaving the St. John’s
basketball program supposedly because of his desire to pursue his baseball career. But his Twitter
feeds, as reported by the New York Daily News, indicate that he plans to play basketball somewhere
else.

“After a long thought out process of speaking with my family, I will be leaving St. John's
basketball program!” he said in one tweet. He added in another tweet: “As of now I'm playing
baseball, but I plan on being at another program in the fall.”

Garrett, a 6-foot-7 forward, started 11 games this season, averaging 5.4 points and 4.3 rebounds
in 20 minutes a game. As a left-handed pitcher with a 96 mph fastball, he was drafted by the Reds
and signed for a $1 million with the agreement that the club would allow him to play college
basketball.

The newspaper reported that according to people familiar with the situation, Garrett’s move is
largely based on a desire to pursue his professional baseball career,

Antoine Winfield, the former Ohio State player who has been a free agent since the
Minnesota Vikings released him March 12 because he wouldn’t agree to a pay cut from $7.25 million
to about $3 million at the NFL scouting combine in late February, is reportedly trying to decide
whether to sign with the Vikings or Washington Redskins.

The veteran cornerback is reportedly seeking $5 million for next season and has drawn interest
from several teams, but seems to have narrowed the list to those two.

Michigan State is opening its football season on a Friday night for third
consecutive season, hosting Western Michigan on Aug. 30, and associate athletic director Paul
Schager indicated on an athletic director Mark Hollis’ radio show that it may become an annual
affair.

"It's been something I think will become a tradition here at Michigan State," Schager said. "It
really allows us get out at the start of the season to be the first team out of the gate and get
all the attention from a TV standpoint. I think you're going to see more and more of that. It's
going to become a staple."